This hill, the home of Hout Bay Vineyards, will soon be ablaze with autumnal colours, a gratifying tribute to this year’s harvest. As the leaves begin to turn we are reminded of nature’s dazzling choreography and that to everything there is a season: a time to sow … a time to reap. It was a good year, but also a peculiar one.

We began harvesting at the end of January, two weeks later than last year. The early cultivars were late in ripening while the ‘mediums’ were on time and some of the ‘lates’ were very late, as if absorbing the most from summer’s luxuriant sunshine. In fact, a number of our neighbours only harvested towards the end of March and well into April. Downy mildew seemed to be a common problem and some also appeared on our grapes: these were discarded, of course, as we use only those fit for consumption. It was our biggest harvest yet - a total of 8.55 tons of grapes, split into 3.5 tons for Cap Classique, 3.7 for the red varieties and the rest for Sauvignon Blanc. Early indications are that wine-lovers will enjoy the 2009 vintage.

The attendance at our open day in November of last year was overwhelming. It was truly uplifting to see so many new faces, first-time visitors to our cellar. With the registration of Hout Bay as a ‘ward’, interest in our wines has obviously spread, which is most rewarding. We like to think that six years of dedication on our part have also helped in this regard. Admittedly, as our skills improve with the passing seasons, grape-pressing hasbecome easier and the whole family, along with our staff, has become more adept in the wine-making process. As a result of last year’s phenomenal attendance, our 2006 bubbly and reds are both sold out, and stocks of rosé and Sauvignon Blancfrom 2008 are limited.

We also used last November’s open day to feature some of Paul du Toit’s work, an internationally-renowned Hout Bay artist. Side features of local artists and musicians are something we intend to continue promoting.